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Psychology

Psychology’s roots in the inquiry into the nature of human beings and the relationship of the mind or psyche to the body and the physical world date from earliest recorded history. Contemporary psychology has evolved into a diverse field comprising areas such as biopsychology, clinical and personality psychology, social psychology, developmental psychology, and neuroscience. The psychology concentration at Simon’s Rock offers courses in many of these areas as an academic foundation for students who wish to do graduate work in psychology and related disciplines such as sociology. It also provides a valuable complement for students interested in the many disciplines with which psychology has a natural affinity, including biology, medicine, literature, theater, the arts, and philosophy. Work in these related areas also provides an excellent complement to the concentration.

Prerequisites

All students must take Psychology 100 Introductory Psychology before moderating into the concentration.

Curriculum

The psychology concentration requires a minimum of 21 credits beyond Introduction to Psychology distributed in the following manner: (1) No fewer than nine credits at the 200-level, including at least one course from each of the three Areas—A,B,C—noted on the following page; (2) two advanced (300-level or higher) psychology courses; and (3) a research methods course from the three listed on the following page (Note: The research methods course does not count as one of the two 300-level course requirement, and no more than one 300-level biology class may count toward the minimum concentration requirements.)

Students wishing to pursue graduate study in psychology are encouraged to take additional courses in psychology (two additional 200-level courses, and at least one additional advanced course) and to also take Introduction to Statistics.

Recent Senior Theses

“Surviving Adolescence: Self-Injury, Suicide, and Help-seeking”
“Grieving: Theories, Research and the Hospice System”
“Psychiatric Imperialism: Diagnosis and the DSM”
“State Dependent Learning in Fluoxtine Hydrochloride in Rats”
“The Gods and Monsters of the Sidelines: The Role of Gender in Athletes’ Coaching Preferences”
“The Narcissistic Self: Social Factors in the Development of Personality Disorders”
“Attentional Intensity in the Auditory Neurosystem”
“A Mind Torn Asunder: The Dysfunction at the Core of Schizophrenia”
“An Apple for the Teacher: A Study of Attachment Relationships”